Thank you all those lovely men in uniform and women with rollers

I know this post is a little overdue but the sentiment is still there. On the 11th November the country was silent for two minutes to remember all those totally amazing people who have and continue to lose their lives for our little island. In World War One around 703,000 men lost their lives in a war that was so terrible and in World War Two 298,950 died, not to mention over 64,000 people killed at home. There were also millions injured and sadly today we have lost 385 troops in Afghanistan and a 179 in Iraq. These may seem just like numbers, but that is over one million six hundred families that have lost a loved one. Shockingly, there has only been one year since World War Two where a British Serviceman or woman has not been killed in conflict. Just a little bit of trivia from me to you. Actually it's my Dad's Trivia, his other snippet is just far too boring to even mention.

Sadly and I hate to admit that I am part of a generation of people that just see those numbers as useless facts to learn and not lives lost. I'm not saying that everyone doesn't appreciate them, I just don't think they get enough recognition by us sometimes. So yesterday morning I snuggled down in my PJs, with my cat and some chocolate biscuits  to watch David Dimbleby give us the coverage on the Remembrance Sunday at the Cenotaph. While wondering if the Duchess of Cambridge had a Philip Treacy hat, (it wasn't by the way)  I saw the line of the veteran troops walking proudly in their uniforms and every year the line sadly gets shorter and shorter. One day there will be no Great Uncle Albert left to tell us about what happened during the War. Those veterans may not look like young nineteen year olds now,but they once were. Sadly unlike teenagers nowadays they spent their days fighting for us,not playing on an Xbox or downing a bottle of wine in 5 seconds. They didn't have the freedom to stay in bed till 2pm and doss around all day,they were out in the cold fighting a war not knowing when or whether they were going to see their family again.

Last night I was knitting while watching the Antiques Roadshow, (I know I sound old but just so you know I didn't put it on) it was a Remembrance Day special and people had bought items of their loved ones that fought in the wars including letters sent to sweethearts back home. Women were lucky if they saw their love once a year and us girls moan and spend hours on the phone to our girlfriends debating why we haven't heard from a guy all day.
In World War One women felt helpless, but in the second war Women went to work in factories doing dangerous jobs filling in for the men, helping the military and working on the land getting their fingernails dirty.With that bought shorter hemlines and trousers, along with keeping the country together we have those women to thank for us being able to wear trousers and get away with not shaving. So when you see a veteran in the street again, help them with their shopping or even just give them a smile because it will help them feel that the fight that they fought was not a waste of time and the friends they lost died for a purpose. And when you see your Great Uncle who wants to tell you all about the war again don't tune out, actually listen because they will really appreciate it. So on behalf of my generation may I offer you all a great fat cuddle and a big thank you.Without those men and women we may never have had The Only Way is Essex and the Spice Girls.  I mean can you imagine a life without them?

Second Hand Rose
XxxX